Clean beauty is getting a cocktail boost at en concordia. Showcasing “Cocktails + Clean Beauty” every second Thursday of the month, owner and curator Theresa Renfro is “thrilled” to host a gathering dedicated to clean, cruelty-free, green beauty.

Guests are invited to experiment with “beauty, flavor and tranquility,” by enjoying delicious Prosecco-shrub cocktails, tasty appetizers and live music. Evenings will be theme oriented based on the seasonality of the fruits for cocktails and the seasonal needs of skincare.

“Do you need to be bikini ready or are you dealing with winter dry?” asked Renfro. “en concordia will dedicate its tranquil space to clean beauty needs while offering live acoustic music by local artists and grazing boards filled with jams, mustards and in-store pantry products. Join us to decompress after a long week. Carve-out time to hang out with friends, enjoy a cocktail and let us get your flow on for the weekend.”

Thursday, March 8 will feature “Spectacular Spring Nails” highlighting “Runway Polish Trends” by côte to “celebrate longer days with even longer, vibrant and healthy nails.” Guests will enjoy “quick côtes,” that is, a free nail polish change from a local professional nail stylist. Blueberry Rosemary Shrub Cocktails made with Element Shrubs will be the evening’s cocktail.

Determined to have her daughters wear a nail polish that didn’t make her “cringe” with toxins on their “tiny fingers,” Renfro discovered côte, nail care products that are void of the potential poisons often mixed in nail polishes.

The Point Loma resident is no stranger to all things wholesome. Sporting severe migraines, she eliminated all things toxic from her home. Researching skin care products naturally succeeded household cleaning and gardening items. “Appalled” at the levels of toxicity and lack of governmental oversight in skin care goods, Renfro purchased local ingredients to create her own skin care regimen. As “batching it yourself became pricey,” she investigated companies that offered non-toxic, cruelty-free, clean products. Excited about the products lining the shelves of en concordia, she continues to remain open to grow with more pipeline brands.

Renfro described today’s consumer as a savvy participant on a path to revolutionizing a movement of clean beauty.

“Today’s consumer is savvy to toxic beauty products,” she said. “I love lipstick, nail polish, soaps, moisturizers and all things skincare. But I don’t want them to be toxic. Cocktails + Clean Beauty is our way of inviting people to become familiar with clean beauty.”

Filling en concordia with merchandise “that makes your skin glow dewy, fabulous and yummy,” Cocktails + Clean Beauty has been an instant success. The first gathering, described as quiet launch, garnered 50 participants. However, Renfro is not surprised by its success.

“I expected Cocktails + Clean Beauty to take off,” she concluded. “The village of Point Loma has a high demand for social activities and we’re the perfect spacious venue for hosting village events. We welcome residents and tourists for a night to celebrate all things beautiful.”

en concordia’s products also include Herbivore Botanicals, which cover the gambit of natural skincare products; a line from Apoterra Skincare, a New York City-based apothecary that addresses skincare issues including dry skin, adult acne; and Little Seed Farm products known to craft cruelty-free organic soap free of fragrance, dyes, parabens and GMOs.

Toxic-free nail polish

Côte’s nail polish lacks the following toxic ingredients - formaldehyde and its resin, known carcinogens used as a preservative to harden nails; toluene, a solvent used to smooth polish with side effects that include nausea, impaired breathing, and damage to the nervous system; dibutyl phthalate, a solvent used to increase wear that’s linked to cancer; camphor used for a polishes shine that in large doses can cause allergic reactions including skin irritation, dizziness, nausea and headaches; triphenyl phosphate used as a “plasticizer” that makes polish durable while research suggests that it changes hormonal regulation and metabolism; xylene, used to keep polish from hardening in the bottle, is a known allergen; and parabens a preservative that triggers hormonal changes; and glutens, used to moisture nails that serves as an allergen.